This invention relates to tire changing tools, more specifically to hand operated tire changing tools used to mount and dismount a tubed or tubeless tire upon a suitable rim, for ease of repair or replacement.
Present tire changing tools, particularly tire changing tools adapted for use on tubeless automobile tires, are heavy, bulky, expensive and designed primarily for use in professional automotive garages, service stations, and the like. The weight, bulk and expense of these tire changing tools, inhibit their use in a home garage or shop, by an average automobile owner, who wishes to repair or replace his own tires. Without the help of a suitable tire changing tool, it is extremely difficult to mount or dismount a tubless tire from its rim. The average automotive owner is therefore forced to take his tire to a professional shop for repair or replacement. At current labor prices, the automotive owner may save enough by repairing his own tires to justify the expense of a compact, portable, inexpensive tire changing tool.
Therefore, what is needed is a compact, portable, inexpensive tire changing tool, suitable for home-shop use, that has relatively few parts, is easy to use, and is adapted to both mount and dismount a tubed or tubeless tire.
One object of the present invention is to provide a novel hand operated tire changing tool for mounting and dismounting a tubed or tubeless tire from its rim.
Another object is to adapt the tire changing tool handle with detachable arm and foot positioned to obtain suitable force to break the tire bead seal from the rim in preparation for removal of the tire from the rim.
Another object is to adapt the tire changing handle with a flat on the axis end to aid removal of the tire from the rim.
Yet another object is provide a curved extension near the axis end of the handle to aid installation of the tire within the rim.
Yet another object is provided a flat on the handle approximately perpendicular to the flat on the axis end of the handle to resist twisting during tire mounting or removal as the handle is biased against the tublar bracket for leverage.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an inflatable member adapted for securement between the base and the tire, which when inflated, presses against the adjacent tire wall, biasing the tire away from the base to seat the tire bead on the opposite tire wall against the rim to form a seal in preparation for inflation of a tubeless tire.
The above-mentioned and other features and objects of this invention and the manner of attaining them will become more apparent and the invention itself will be best understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.